Chanterelle Mushroom- Hunting Wild Mushrooms

With summer almost here the thought of hunting Chanterelle Mushrooms gets me pretty excited. This is one of my favorites. This mushroom is one of the easiest wild mushrooms to identify. They are very good and many times grow in large quantities. They have excellent size, caps ranging 1 ¼ to 6 inches. They have a good texture and taste great. They also freeze well for later use. I have not tried canning these- but think they would also take to that very well. Their color being yellow to a yellowish orange makes them very easy to find. There are some poisonous look a likes so be sure of your identification before eating them. The Chanterelle Mushroom has a great smell. It smells just like fresh apricots. They don’t have true gills, but instead have shallow thick edged wrinkles and veins descending down the stem of the mushroom, often being crossed veined and distant. The stems are about the same color as the caps being ¾-2 1/4 by ¼ to 1 inch. They are found in July though September here in this part of the country. I seem to have my best luck in hardwood forest areas. But I have found these in almost any type of wooded area. As with almost any mushroom you do need the moisture in order to have a good season. Their are also growing kits available for Chanterelle Mushrooms.If you are new to Mushroom Hunting be sure to consult a professional for positive identification. If you are not sure what it is -don’t eat it.